Microsoft Excel is an example of a spreadsheet program. Spreadsheets are 'number-crunchers'. They can perform simple, and complicated, mathematical calculations at outstanding speeds.
They are very useful in the office for this reason.
They allow the for the creation of "what ifs". What would happen if the interest rate changed, for example.
This is the icon for MS Excel
When a spreadsheet program, such as Excel, is opened it often contains a number of worksheets (called sheet 1, sheet 2, and so on) within one workbook. Worksheets can be added or deleted. Worksheets can also be made to 'talk to' each other.
Worksheets are arranged in a matrix of letters and numbers.
In MS Excel columns are identified by letters, and rows by numbers.
Where a column and a row meet we find a CELL.
Each, of the thousands, of cells in a worksheet are named according to its Column and Row intersection address. For example;
cell D5
cell H8
By convention we always say the letter (column) first and the number (row) next.
The table below shows a players golf scores over the last four outings.
Enter the contents of the table into Sheet 1 of a new Excel workbook.
Save the workbook with the name Golf.
Enter "Date" in cell A1. Continue entering information from this cell.
Date
Hole 1
Hole 2
Hole 3
Hole 4
Hole 5
Hole 6
Hole 7
Hole 8
Hole 9
30/6/2007
4
7
6
5
7
3
8
4
5
7/7/2007
6
7
4
6
3
4
6
5
6
14/7/2007
5
6
5
6
5
4
6
4
5
21/7/2007
4
5
5
4
4
5
5
5
5
3. Add a column title, called Total, in Cell K1.
4. Add a column title, called Average, in Cell L1.
5. Use formulas (functions) to calculate daily totals for each golf outing.
6. Use formulas (functions) to calculate daily averages for each golf outing.
7. Format the worksheet with borders, & colours.
8. Format the text with different fonts, font sizes and colours.
9. Format the text headings in bold & italics.
There are many great Excel tutorials on the Internet. Just type Excel Tutorial into your favourite search engine. Check them out!
Here are a couple of useful tutorials: Tutorial 1 Tutorial 2
MS Access
Microsoft Access is an example of a database program. There are many other database programs.
MS Access Icon
Access is described as a relational database. Unlike some database programs, such as that found in MS Works, Access allows for the creation of numerous tables which are related to each other.
It is the relationship between the tables which gives Access its strength.
Databases store data. Data is not particularly useful. It is not until the data is retrieved as information that it becomes useful.
For example;
My month of birth is a little bit of data, but by itself it doesn't say much about me. Combined with other data like
Date of Birth
Address
Account number
Password
Telephone number and
E-mail address a bigger 'picture' of who I am emerges.
When you ring your provider about your mobile 'phone account they ask you to provide details about yourself. The operator then compares your answers to a database. If the information retrieved from the database matches your answers then you have confirmed your identity and can proceed with your enquiry.
Is Big Brother watching you?
You might be suprised to learn that personal information about your appears on many databases!!!
Possibly you appear on these organisation's databases.
Australian Tax Office (ATO)
Medicare
Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA)
TAFE
Exercise 1: Write a list of as many databases that you appear in. Make the list using MS Word. Save the document as My Database.
Exercise 2:
Think about a car for a minute! There are many thousands of cars on the road in Australia. What is it about any particular car which is unique to it?
2. How many students are attending TAFE in NSW right now? How are you correctly identified within the TAFE system? What is unique about you as far as TAFE is concerned.
3. What is it about your bank account which allows the bank to correctly "link" your to account when you make a withdrawal?
To work correctly, all databases require some unique identifier to correctly retrieve information about the correct record. In MS Access this unique identifier is called a Primary Key. When creating a database you will need to consider creating Primary Keys, otherwise your database may not be reliable.
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is an example of a spreadsheet program. Spreadsheets are 'number-crunchers'. They can perform simple, and complicated, mathematical calculations at outstanding speeds.
They are very useful in the office for this reason.
They allow the for the creation of "what ifs". What would happen if the interest rate changed, for example.
When a spreadsheet program, such as Excel, is opened it often contains a number of worksheets (called sheet 1, sheet 2, and so on) within one workbook. Worksheets can be added or deleted. Worksheets can also be made to 'talk to' each other.
Worksheets are arranged in a matrix of letters and numbers.
The table below shows a players golf scores over the last four outings.
4. Add a column title, called Average, in Cell L1.
5. Use formulas (functions) to calculate daily totals for each golf outing.
6. Use formulas (functions) to calculate daily averages for each golf outing.
7. Format the worksheet with borders, & colours.
8. Format the text with different fonts, font sizes and colours.
9. Format the text headings in bold & italics.
There are many great Excel tutorials on the Internet. Just type Excel Tutorial into your favourite search engine. Check them out!
Here are a couple of useful tutorials:
Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
MS Access
Microsoft Access is an example of a database program. There are many other database programs.
It is the relationship between the tables which gives Access its strength.
For example;
My month of birth is a little bit of data, but by itself it doesn't say much about me. Combined with other data like
When you ring your provider about your mobile 'phone account they ask you to provide details about yourself. The operator then compares your answers to a database. If the information retrieved from the database matches your answers then you have confirmed your identity and can proceed with your enquiry.
Is Big Brother watching you?
You might be suprised to learn that personal information about your appears on many databases!!!Possibly you appear on these organisation's databases.
Exercise 1:
Write a list of as many databases that you appear in. Make the list using MS Word. Save the document as My Database.
Exercise 2:
- Think about a car for a minute! There are many thousands of cars on the road in Australia. What is it about any particular car which is unique to it?
Answer:2. How many students are attending TAFE in NSW right now? How are you correctly identified within the TAFE system? What is unique about you as far as TAFE is concerned.
3. What is it about your bank account which allows the bank to correctly "link" your to account when you make a withdrawal?
To work correctly, all databases require some unique identifier to correctly retrieve information about the correct record. In MS Access this unique identifier is called a Primary Key. When creating a database you will need to consider creating Primary Keys, otherwise your database may not be reliable.